In 2025 Florida Sea Grant trained 100 residents from Escambia and Santa Rosa County to survey for nesting horseshoe crabs in the Pensacola Bay area. Of those 21 (21%) participated in at least one survey. The objective of this project is ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
We will begin with a statement most know, but bears repeating… Snakes are just another animal trying to get through the day. They need to eat, avoid being eaten, find a place to sleep, and – at some point in the year – find a mate. ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Over the last decade human-bear encounters have increased across Florida, including the Panhandle. Recently the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) posted advice on how we can prepare for the fall season. They mention ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Formed at the edge of freshwater and salt, dense forest and open water, scrubby dune and open marsh, the diversity along and within coastal dune lakes is tremendous. Coastal dune lakes are shallow, irregularly shaped, permanent bodies of ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
I have never come across the brilliantly colored rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) in the wild before, but our Master Naturalist class was introduced to a member of this species during the fight of its life yesterday. We took a trip ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
I usually see these guys using their suction-cup like toepads to hang out on our glass patio doors at night. Despite being 6 or 8 feet above the ground, my cat (from indoors) always attempts numerous remarkable—yet futile—high jumps ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Many who have snorkeled or dove in the Florida Keys have most likely encountered nurse sharks there – they are quite common. But here in the northern Gulf – though present – encounters are not as frequent. In the Keys you can don a ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Introduction The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is the only resident turtle within brackish water and estuarine systems in the United States (Fig. 1). They prefer coastal estuarine wetlands – living in salt marshes, mangroves, ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
If you’re ever looking for an easy nature walk with guaranteed wildlife sightings, I highly recommend the Gulf Breeze Wetlands Trail. It’s a little over a ¼ mile long boardwalk trail at Shoreline Park South, overlooking a marsh ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
PENSACOLA SNAKE WATCH – AUGUST REPORT August was a bit cooler than July, and more snakes were reported. For July only 3 snakes were reported, and we had 16 reported for August. Below are both the July and August ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife